干
什
么

About

The phrase "干什么" is formed through the direct and literal combination of the verb "干" (gàn), meaning "to do", with the interrogative pronoun "什么" (shénme), meaning "what". This creates a transparent, word-for-word construction meaning "do what". Through frequent use, this straightforward verb-object pairing has solidified into a fixed, idiomatic unit in colloquial speech.

Example Sentences Hide

你在干什么？

Nǐ zài gàn shénme?

What are you doing?

你刚才在房间里干什么？

Nǐ gāngcái zài fángjiān lǐ gàn shénme?

What were you doing in the room just now?

他一个人站在那边干什么呢？

Tā yīgè rén zhàn zài nà biān gàn shénme ne?

What is he doing standing over there by himself?

你问这么多问题到底想干什么？

Nǐ wèn zhème duō wèntí dàodǐ xiǎng gàn shénme?

What exactly are you trying to do by asking so many questions?

如果不知道自己要干什么，就先做好手头的工作。

Rúguǒ bù zhīdào zìjǐ yào gàn shénme, jiù xiān zuò hǎo shǒutóu de gōngzuò.

If you don't know what you want to do, first do the work at hand well.

Word Definition - 干什么

gàn shén me what are you doing?; what's he up to?

Individual Character Details

干 gān, gān, gān, gān, gān, gān, gàn
什 shén, shí
么 má, ma, me, mó, me